Colombo, July 7 (UNI) The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has raised borrowing costs to tackle domestic inflation, which are at a record high and to contain any build up of underlying demand, Al Jazeera reported on Thursday.
The Standing Lending Facility rate was raised by a full percentage point (or 100 basis points) to 15.5 percent while the Standing Deposit Facility Rate rose by the same amount to 14.5 percent, which is the highest in 21 years.
The decision comes as inflation touched a record 54.6 percent year-on-year in June while food inflation accelerating to 80.1 percent.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told parliament Tuesday, that the inflation rate will hit 60 percent in the coming months amid rising commodity prices and a declining currency.
“The Board was of the view that a further monetary policy tightening would be necessary to contain any build-up of adverse inflation expectations,” CBSL said in a statement.
The policy adjustment would help guide inflation expectations to be anchored around the targeted 4-6 percent level over the medium term and curtail any build up of underlying demand pressures in the economy, it said.
Prior to Thursday’s decision, the country’s central bank had raised interest rates by 850 basis points since the beginning of the year, even as its economy contracted in the first quarter, marking the beginning of a painful and long recession for the country.
Economic activity has also come to a grinding halt as the bankrupt nation asked residents to stay home until July 10 to conserve fuel.
The country’s forex stockpile held steady at an estimated $1.9bn at the end of June, including $1.5bn worth of Chinese currency that is subject to conditions on its use, it said.
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